Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto. I DO own Youshi Garukin (Yes, he's back! It's the prequel silly.) Ai Mizuri is owned by xEMOtIoNaLLyCOnSTipaTEDx-

Chapter Three - Devine Intervention

"Itachi! NO!"

Sakura's eyes snapped open as droplets of water splashed on her face. Her eyes scanning frantically for who had screamed out so pleadingly. Itachi smirking down at her made her soul freeze. Her hands were braced above her head, tears were flowing from her eyes. It shocked Sakura when she realised it had been her who cried out.

Itachi chuckled evilly. "Don't worry, Sakura." he mocked, raising the sword once more. "It'll all be over soon."

Sakura, ashamed of herself for showing weakness, forced back her tears and locked eyes with Itachi. A memory flashed through her mind, as if trying to bring her comfort.

Flashback

Sasuke and Kakashi were alone in the room. Or so they thought. Sakura had been practising hiding her chakra in that very room all morning and was still there, hidden from sight by the large bookcases dissecting the study hall.

"…else do you remember?" Kakashi was in the middle of speaking as they entered the room.

"It's not something I try to think about." replied Sasuke's monotone voice.

"Considering that you want to beat him in battle, you should be. There might be something hidden in your past that could help you beat him in the future." Kakashi was calm as he spoke but the strain in his voice was barely concealed.

Sakura stayed perfectly still as she saw Sasuke's shadow move closer to her hiding place. Suddenly, Sakura heard Sasuke take a sharp intake of breath. She instantly feared that he had spotted her.

"There was one thing…" Sasuke's voice seemed strangely unsure. "…when I saw him… just after he'd murdered our parents… I saw him turning their faces away from him."

"Anything else?" Kakashi seemed oddly intrigued by Sasuke's statement.

"Yes." replied Sasuke, his voice unnervingly quiet. "When he raised his katana at me… 'don't look at me'. He told me not to look at him."

"Interesting." was all Kakashi responded with.

"What do you think it means?" asked Sasuke.

Sakura could only assume that Kakashi had shrugged, or given some other silent response, because the next thing she heard was Sasuke's 'Hn' quickly followed by the stomping of feet and the slamming of the door.

End Of Flashback

The memory brought a sudden surge of strength to Sakura. She lowered her arms and looked directly at Itachi's face. He caught her stare and paused slightly, frowning at her. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"What's the matter, Itachi? Can't stand facing your victim?!" sneered Sakura, locking eyes with Itachi.

"Stop it!" snapped Itachi.

Itachi tried several times to break the eye lock she held him in but Sakura refused to release him. Itachi growled at her menacingly but Sakura still kept her eyes fixed on his. She wasn't even blinking now.

"STOP IT!" yelled Itachi, shaking the sword threateningly.

"NO!" Sakura yelled back. "If I'm to die by your hands, you're damn well going to look me in the eye while you do it!"

Itachi tried again to break the eye contact that Sakura had locked him in but again he failed. Finally, he sighed and glared at her, his hands gripping the handle of the sword tighter. "So be it!" he hissed.

The blade came speeding towards her. Sakura knew that this was it. Death was coming for her. She swallowed the fear that was trying to rise and maintained her eye lock with her soon to be killer. She would force him to see every second of her death, searing the memory of her into his mind forever. She only hoped that her defiance in these, her final moments, would bring him torment every time he closed his eyes, knowing that even though he killed her, he had not broken her.

"Farewell, Saku…. WHAT?!"

Itachi cried out in confusion as he was thrown backwards. His body crashing into a nearby tree and the sword flying out of his hands. He quickly got back to his feet and scanned the area for his attacker.

There was no-one there.

Itachi grabbed the sword again and charged at Sakura, who was still staring at him, still refusing to release him from her gaze.

Again, Itachi was thrown backwards. This time he landed in a bush, the thorns tearing at his skin and clothing. He leapt from the bush, scanning the area again but again there was no-one but him and Sakura, his supposed prey.

He raised his hands again, ready to charge her once more but Sakura started laughing at him. It was a weak laugh, full of her pain, but she was still laughing at him and he hated it. Itachi realised his hands were empty. He spotted the sword laying on the ground in front of him and quickly snatched it back up, readying his attack once more.

"How are you doing this?!" he demanded, stalking towards her, sword raised.

Sakura coughed, bringing up some blood, and shook her head at him. "I'm not!"

Itachi roared out his rage and charged once more, he was growing tired of this wench and her trickery. She made defied him, taunted him, laughed at him and now she was lying about defending herself. It was time for this pink haired wench to die!

Just as Itachi reached Sakura, just as he was about to end the pink wench for good…

BOOM! HISS!

A large explosion of smoke erupted all around his pink haired tormentor. Itachi staggered back by the force of the blast. He shook his head to clear the ringing in his ears but soon realised it wasn't ringing at all. It was Sakura. She was screaming.

As the smoke cleared, Itachi and Sakura gasped as one.

A large white snake was coiled around Sakura's body. It's head was seemingly resting on her shoulder as it hissed viciously. Sakura's entire body was rigid with terror, her fear-filled eyes darting from the snake's head, right next to her own, to Itachi's confused expression.

"Oro.. Orochimaru." squeaked Sakura, her eyes welling up with tears.

Itachi smirked at the terror now obvious in the once defiant girl. "Not scared of me, but terrified of a runt like Orochimaru?" he chuckled slightly. "If this wasn't so amusing, I might have been insulted."

Sakura fought hard against the tears but one still escaped. It trickled its way down her cheek. Sakura squeaked in fear as the snake moved closer, its forked tongue tasting her salty droplet.

"It looks hungry." teased Itachi as he moved closer. The snake's head sprang away from Sakura's face and lashed out at Itachi. He leapt back, laughing lightly as adrenaline coursed through his body from the slight fright.

"Well," chuckled Itachi. "This has been fun, but…" he raised the sword one last time. "…time to die, Pinky."

"MINE!"

Itachi froze, his eyes widening. The growling voice had come from directly behind him. An evil smirk spread across Itachi's face as realisation dawned on him. Without turning around, he straightened up his stance.

"Hello little brother!"

The snake rubbed itself against Sakura's body, causing her to stiffen even more. Itachi smirked at her. "If you wanted to kill her yourself, little brother, you could have just asked."

Itachi's comment was greeted by a low growl from behind him, a growl that chilled the very air. Itachi smirked again. "I see." he nodded slightly. "Even after all this time, you still have a…"

"ITACHI!"

Kisame burst through the tree line.

"Itachi! Pein says we're… WOW! Sasuke!" Kisame skidded to a halt, almost stumbling as he did. "Itachi?"

"Relax, Kisame." stated Itachi calmly. "Uchiha's are notoriously hard to kill, after all."

"You seemed to manage with your family!" spat Sakura.

"Why you…" Itachi yelled, raising the sword and lunging at her.

"MINE!"

Itachi was knocked to the ground, the sword ripped from his grasp. He turned to strike out at his younger brother, only to freeze at what greeted him.

Sasuke's entire body was a strange grey colour. Black claw-tipped wings spread out from his back and an odd, almost star like, shape was formed on his forehead, between his eyes. Sasuke now held his sword but instead of striking Itachi down it, he slid the katana back into the sheath dangling from his rope belt.

Kisame crept closer, eyeing this monster version of Sasuke with extreme caution, as he tried to reach and help his friend.

Sasuke barely moved but, somehow, Kisame was suddenly pinned to the tree behind him, a kunai embedded through each of his shoulders. Kisame cried out in pain as his own body weight added extra pressure on the bleeding wounds.

"So," came Itachi's voice, the strain of enforced calm obvious to all who heard it. "You're finally strong enough."

Itachi slowly rose to his feet. "However…" he stated, his calm now genuine. "…now that you are, you have a choice to make. If we fight now…" he pointed over at Sakura. "…she will die."

Sasuke's eyes stayed locked on Itachi but the snake started rubbing against Sakura again, a strange glow coming from its scales. After a few minutes, the glow vanished and the snake hissed loudly.

"You see." boasted Itachi. "It can't heal her. She doesn't have enough chakra left to heal herself." Itachi chuckled and took a step closer to Sasuke. "I told you, didn't I. I told you they were nothing but a weakness. You could kill me now, but it will cost you, her!"

Sasuke closed his eyes. Itachi chuckled and walked over to Kisame, releasing the man from the kunai and the tree. Just before they disappeared from view, Itachi called over to Sasuke once more. "Foolish little brother. Even with all your new strength and powers… she still made you weak!"

By the time Sasuke opened his eyes again, Itachi and Kisame were gone.

"Sasuke?" came Sakura's weakening voice.

Sasuke closed his eyes again and sighed heavily, his body returning to normal as he did.

"Sasuke…" Sakura coughed violently. "Why didn't you kill him?"

Sasuke opened his eyes and walked toward her. He crouched down in front of her, made several hand seals and dismissed the snake. Sakura coughed again as the smoke caught her breath.

"Don't worry about it." whispered Sasuke. "I've waited this long, a little longer wont make much difference."

Sakura gasped as Sasuke pulled her, bridal style, in to his arms and slowly, careful, rose to his feet. "You need hospital treat…"

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

Sasuke spun around as Naruto, closely followed by Kaori, water swirling viciously, ready to attack. The second Naruto spotted just who was holding Sakura, he stumbled to a halt and gasped, a beaming smile growing and spreading across his face. "TEME!" he turned to Kaori. "Look! Teme survived!"

"Kaori." Sasuke stated, nodding his head in greeting.

Both Naruto and Sakura were shocked. Sakura coughed as she spoke. "Who do you know her?" she coughed again. "She didn't come to Konoha until after you'd left."

Sasuke smirked down at Sakura, securing his hold on her. "Later." when she frowned at him, he continued. "You need hospital treatment. I'll explain everything, after you're better."

Sakura smiled weakly and nodded. It took the others mere seconds to realise that she had passed out. However, just before the darkness fully claimed her, Sakura was able to hear.

"I wish he'd carry me." mumbled Kaori.

"I'll carry you, Kaori!" beamed Naruto.

"I don't think so!" came Kaori's reply.

Sakura felt Sasuke chuckle quietly against her. "Some things never change, huh Blossom."

To be continued…